Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Mike Inman / Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 1/1/2007
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 5417 N. Cannon
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99208

NARRATIVE: At 1107 am the Spokane Fire Department dispatched one Pumper Ladder, one Ladder Truck, 3 Engines, a Rescue Unit and a Battalion Chief to 5417 N. Cannon on a detached garage fire. Upon arrival by the first apparatus the garage had heavy white smoke coming out of every opening. Access to the garage was quick and a fast knockdown of the fire was accomplished by Pumper Ladder 13. A light smoke had entered the house at this address with heavy smoke coming out of the roof vents of the house. A quick investigation into the house indicated that only smoke and no fire had extended to the house. The house is still livable with only a faint smoke smell. Upon talking with the owner it was determined that he had cleaned out a wood burning stove and stored the ashes in a plastic garbage can in the garage where the fire had started. The homeowner also indicated that the stove had not been used for 2 days prior to the cleaning and the ashes had been in the garage for just over 24 hours when the fire occurred. The Spokane Fire Department cannot stress enough the importance of properly disposing of ash cleaned out of a heating appliance. As in this case the wood burning stove had not been used for 2 days prior to the cleaning and it took another day after storing the ash in a flammable container before the fire occurred. You must store ashes in a noncombustible container such as metal and away from any other flammable material such as paper or wood. You should also do the storage outside of any building. Fortunately this fire occurred during the day and was immediately detected resulting in minimal damage to the garage but total damage to a few items stored in the vicinity of the plastic garbage can that ignited. Had this fire occurred at night and had more time build damage most likely would have been more extreme.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Wood burning stove ashes stored in a plasic garbage can inside a structure.
DAMAGE EXTENT: About a 16 square foot section of wall in the garage and some personal items stored in the vicinity of the fire.
DOLLAR LOSS: 1500
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 21
MUTUAL AID: None Given